1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to landing a boat on shore and more specifically to a boat landing apparatus which may be used to easily land and retain a boat.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There are numerous boating landing devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,658,354 to Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,247 to Smith, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,112 to Travioli. All three of the these patents have the same drawback. Only a small length of the boat is guided when the boat is in contact with the boat landing device. A boat landing device which only contacts a small length of the boat lacks stability. Another problem occurs to a small boat when it rains. If it rains hard enough, the small boat anchored at a pier will fill with rain water and sink. The alternative is to pull the boat on to the shore. However, this is an inconvenient and time consuming process.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a boat landing apparatus which provides greater stability when landing a boat than that of the prior art.
The present invention provides a boat landing apparatus which is easier to use than that of the prior art. The boat landing apparatus includes a pair of roller assemblies, a pair of cross members, four cross member brackets, and at least two retention stakes. Each roller assembly includes a plurality of rollers pivotally retained in a roller frame. Each cross member bracket is mounted to substantially each end of each roller assembly. A wedge spacer may be mounted to a bottom of the roller frame before attachment of the cross member bracket. The wedge spacer enables the roller assembly to have an inward tilt. An opening is formed through substantially a center of the bracket and the roller frame. Each cross member bracket is sized to slidably receive the perimeter of the cross member. Each cross member has a plurality of openings formed along a length thereof. The width of the boat landing apparatus may be adjusted by aligning the opening in the roller frame with one of the openings in the cross member. A single stake is then inserted through the openings in the roller assembly and cross member into the mounting surface.
A height spacer may be used to tilt the boat landing device. The height spacer allows the boat landing apparatus to be tilted for raising or lowering either end of the boat. The rear of the boat may be tilted downward to drain water therefrom, if necessary. The height spacer preferably includes a post retainer, a tubular post, and a flange retainer. A single post retainer is attached to a bottom of each end of each roller assembly. The tubular post is retained by the post retainer. The flange retainer is clamped to the tubular post to prevent thereof from sinking into the lake bottom.
A second embodiment of the boat landing apparatus includes a pair of roller assemblies, at least two cross members, at least four support brackets, at least four support posts, and at least four support spacers. Each roller assembly includes a plurality of rollers pivotally retained in a roller frame. One end of each roller assembly is mounted to one of the cross members and the other end of each roller assembly is mounted to the other cross member. Additional cross members may be used to support extra weight. A wedge spacer may be inserted between a bottom of the roller frame and a top of the cross member. The wedge spacer enables the roller assemblies to have an inward tilt. A single support bracket is secured to each end of each cross member. A single support post is secured to a bottom of each support bracket. A single support spacer is attached to each support post.
The second embodiment of the boat landing apparatus is preferably installed as follows. The support posts are located and then inserted into a bottom of the body of water. A single support spacer is then-slid on to each support post. The support spacers are then pushed against the bottom of the body of water and secured to the support posts. A single support bracket is attached to a top of each support post. Each cross member is slid through a pair of support brackets and secured thereto. The pair of roller assemblies are then attached to the cross members. A single guide post may be attached to a top of each support bracket. A boat may be tied to at least one guide post. Providing at least two cross members with a sufficient length will allow an access plank to mounted thereto. The second embodiment of the boat landing apparatus may also be assembled and then placed on a bottom of a body of water.
A boat landing apparatus with elevation device includes a boat landing apparatus and at least one elevation device. Either embodiment of the boat landing device disclosed in this application may be used. The at least one elevation device may be attached to a front, rear, or to both front and rear of the boat landing apparatus. Each elevation device includes a drive shaft, a pair of elevating arms, a pair of elevating rollers, and a drive assembly. The drive shaft is pivotally retained by a pair of roller assemblies. The pair of elevating rollers are pivotally retained by one end of each elevating arm and the other end of each elevating arm is rigidly attached to the drive shaft. The drive assembly is used to rotate the drive shaft such that thereof rotates the elevating roller into an elevated orientation. The pair of elevating rollers are preferably contoured to receive a bottom of the boat.
The drive assembly preferably includes a gear reduction drive, at least one ratchet gear, and a ratchet arm. The gear reduction drive provides a mechanical advantage to the crank. The at least one ratchet gear retains the pair of elevating rollers in an elevated orientation. The ratchet arm will be rotated several times to provide a small amount of angular movement to the drive shaft. A direct drive assembly may be used instead of the drive assembly. The direct drive assembly does not include gear reduction. A reversible ratchet gear may be used instead of two ratchet gears.
A third embodiment of the boat landing apparatus includes a pair of roller assemblies, a pair of cross members and a set of four retention brackets. Each roller assembly includes a plurality of rollers pivotally retained in a roller frame. Each roller assembly is mounted to substantially each end of each cross member with a single retention device. A first embodiment of the retention bracket is a surface pivot bracket. Each surface pivot bracket is pivotally mounted to the cross member and an end of a single roller assembly is retained on a top thereof. A pair of curved bearing surfaces are formed on a bottom of the surface pivot bracket. The pair of curved bearing surfaces contact the cross members and supports the weight placed on the roller assembly.
A second embodiment of the retention bracket is a pivot support bracket. Each pivot support bracket is pivotally mounted to the cross member and a single roller assembly is retained on a top thereof. The pivotal connection with the cross member supports the weight placed on the roller assembly. A third embodiment of the retention bracket is a cross bracket. The cross bracket includes a lower attachment leg extending downward from a base member and a upper attachment leg extending upward from the base member. The lower attachment leg is substantially perpendicular to the upper attachment leg. With the cross bracket, a wedge spacer may be inserted between a bottom of the roller assembly before attachment to the cross bracket. The wedge spacer enables the roller assembly to have an inward tilt.
A single stake may be inserted through an opening in the cross member and/or roller assembly for mounting. A support post may be mounted to a bottom of one of the cross members with an angle bracket. The angle bracket includes a first attachment leg and a second attachment leg that extends substantially perpendicular from the first attachment leg. Two roller assemblies may be connected in series with an in-line connector bracket. The in-line connector bracket includes at least one stake extending downward therefrom.
A fourth embodiment of the boat landing apparatus includes a plurality of roller axles, and a pair of retention members. Each roller axle is pivotally retained in the pair of retention members. Each roller axle includes a pair of rollers and an axle. The pair of rollers are preferably secured to the axle with a fastener. The pair of rollers support and guide a boat, which is being launched or pulled in.
A fifth embodiment of the boat landing apparatus preferably includes a plurality of bracket support members, a plurality of pivot roller brackets, and a pair of lengthwise rail members. A pair of the pivot roller brackets are pivotally attached to each bracket support member. Each end of each bracket support member is preferably attached to a single lengthwise rail member with a single angle bracket.
A removable winch may be used in combination with any embodiment of the boat landing apparatus. The removable winch may be attached directly to the boat landing apparatus or may be retained adjacent a front of the boat landing apparatus. The removable winch includes a removable winch assembly and a retention tube. The retention tube is inserted into the ground, if not attached to the boat landing apparatus. However, the retention tube is preferably inserted into the ground, if attached to the boat landing apparatus. The removable winch assembly includes a retention projection and a winch. The retention projection is sized to be received by the retention tube. The retention projection extends from a bottom of the winch. The winch includes a retention yoke, a reel, a crank, a racket mechanism and line. The reel is pivotally retained in the retention yoke and the line is retained on the reel. The crank extends from an end of the reel and rotation thereof is constrained by the racket mechanism.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a boat landing apparatus which provides greater stability when landing a boat than that of the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a boat landing apparatus which may be tilted to adjust to a sloped lake bottom.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a boat landing apparatus which allows a boat to be accessed from a side thereof.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a boat landing apparatus which may be pitched to allow a small boat to be drained of rain water.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a boat landing apparatus which allows a boat to be held in a secure position.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a boat landing apparatus which has an adjustable width to accommodate different size boats.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a boat landing apparatus which includes roller assemblies that pivot relative to a pair of cross members.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an in-line connector bracket that enables to roller assemblies to connected in series of a boat landing apparatus.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a fourth embodiment of a boat landing apparatus having a plurality of roller axles retained between a pair of retention members.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide fifth embodiment of a boat landing apparatus having a plurality of pivot roller brackets.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an elevation device, which may be used to lift either end of a boat without adjusting a boat landing apparatus.
Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a removable winch, which may be used to with a plurality of boat landing apparatuses.
These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.